About 100 unionized support workers with Windsor-Essex Community Housing Corporation (WECHC) are in need of a new collective agreement.
The workers, who are represented by CUPE Local 543.6 held a picket outside of Windsor city hall Monday morning calling for a fair deal.
Unit chair Krysta Glovasky-Ridsdale says they're looking for better wages and improved safety conditions.
She says they also want respect from management.
Glovasky-Ridsdale says the workers last contract expired in December.
"Talks were a little bit delayed but we were really hoping that there would be more result," says Glovasky-Ridsdale. "There would be more of an offer brought to us. We've been unpaid for a while."
She says working conditions have plummeted since contract talks started in December.
"People picture office workers, we're sitting in the office on McDougall and we're safe, most of us are not sitting in the offices on McDougall," she says. "We are in the offices in those buildings. We have maintenance guys that are in the hallways, we have custodial staff in the hallways, we have staff that are in those units with those tenants, no protection, nobody checks on them to see where they are."
Glovasky-Ridsdale says a conciliation date is set for July 12.
"Conciliation right it's great, it's part of the process but I want to be hopeful and think they're going to be coming back to the table with wonderful changes and increases and all the things we talked about but the problem is when the corporation constantly says it's budget and there is no money," says Glovasky-Ridsdale. "They hire new managers every week, where is that money coming from."
She says in 15-years, she's only received a $2 pay increase.
Glovasky-Ridsdale says workers voted 96% in favour of strike action if needed to back contract demands.
The union says workers maintain, repair and administer affordable housing in Windsor-Essex.